Maine builder Lynn Hayward talks about solutions for frost free pier foundations in wet cold soils. This advice may be valuable for others in cold climates.

They use a combination of a plastic form that is filled with concrete (the slippery walls don't give the ice anything to grab onto) combined with drainage backfill and insulating foam near the surface (to keep the soil COLD below the insulation). Read the article for more information on their experiences.

Somebody in Plans Support was looking for answers to how many piers and where. These guys have a pretty nice couple of pages on soils and loading--and how much their product will carry, and a chart to fill in.